May sub-theme

Our May sub-theme is, A covenant woman is SERVICE ORIENTED.

For the specific goal for this month, please watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform this hymn, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aUeLeKlrac, and while listening to it, ponder ways you can step out of your comfort zone this month to serve.

Thoughts on the April Theme

Here are Kristen Honeycutt's thoughts on our April theme and goals:

A Covenant Keeper is a Light to All

In April, our focus in Relief Society was on how being "a light to all" can help us become more valiant women.  We were challenged to do something, big or small, to practice this trait and consequentially help our individual lights to shine brighter for others.  Each of the suggested goals helped us to either look inward to strengthen our relationship with and testimony of the Savior, or outward in order to direct our focus to all others who would be impacted or influenced by our light.  

This month, I chose to focus on the second goal.  To look outward to others: to notice their worthwhile qualities verbally or in writing and do everything I could to build them and make them feel their worth.  I will first admit, that most of this happened inside our home.  But as the week went on, I really noticed the significance of practicing this inside our home first, before looking further outward.  Wesley and I do a pretty good job of recognizing the strengths that the other brings to our marriage and family life.  But there is something amazing about taking the few extra seconds it takes and actually telling the other person what those things are that can make any bond even stronger.  I noticed that as I did this, as I took the extra seconds to tell him just how wonderful it was (and how well he did it) to clean the kitchen while I put Ellie down, or got up with her in the morning to let me sleep in a little bit more, that he started to do those things without having to be asked.  And in turn, I heard him verbalizing more of my strengths to me.  

I learned that in taking the time to build others, I find myself being built up in return.  Goodness begets goodness, light begets light.  It is a positive feedback loop that if we choose to start, can help our light and the light of those around us shine brighter and brighter.  In this past General Conference, Sister Cheryl A. Esplin said "One place we best seek to be filled with light and truth is in our own homes...[however] strong eternal families and Spirit-filled homes do not just happen.  They take great effort, they take time, and they take each member of the family doing his or her part."  We should always be practicing being "a light to all" within our homes so that ours can be strong eternal families and Spirit-filled homes.  Creating that important environment in our home is critical to make our homes a refuge from the world, whether our home holds just one member, or twenty.  From there, we are able to step out and shine our bright lights to our friends, our neighbors, our ward members, our co-workers, or anyone we come into contact with.  

Jesus Christ is the Light of the World.  As we follow His example and draw closer to him, the light of our testimony grows stronger.  As we choose do those things that invite the Spirit, we are filled with its great light than can bring us knowledge, peace, comfort, and personal revelation. I know that if we choose to be kind, positive, loving, quick to forgive, and slow to judge we can build strong eternal families and Spirit-filled homes.  And I know that as we practice these things, we become more valiant women and true disciples of Christ.  

Favorite pins in April

Katy Clayton was our featured pinner in April!  Here are her favorite pins from the month, and her thoughts on them.

Source

I love this because it is simple and encompasses so much.  There is so much darkness but the light is what shines through and diminishes the dark. 

Source

We are daughters of a Heavenly Father and were created in His image.  We are beings of light.  As daughters of our Heavenly Father we have been given light to being to others so that they may be brought unto Christ.

April's Theme and Goals

Our theme for 2015 is "Becoming a Valiant Woman", and our sub-theme for March is:

“Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”  ~Margaret D. Nadauld

Goals for this month:

1.  Share your favorite moment/talk from General Conference on social medics (#ldsconf) or to a friend.

2.  Do all you can to build others and make them feel of worth.  Every day for a week notice the worthwhile qualities and attributes of others.  Acknowledge them verbally or in writing. <---Taken from Personal Progress.

3.  Bear your testimony to someone.  (In church, in conversation, by giving a Book of Mormon to someone, etc.)

4.  Watch the video, Because He Lives, (http://www.mormon.org/easter) , and reflect on your relationship with your Savior.

Favorite Pin from March

Kay Lee Dickenson was our featured pinner in March.  Here is her favorite pin from the month, and her thoughts on it.

Find it here

I love that keeping our covenants strengthens us and empowers us, is essential for true happiness, and shows our love to the Savior. Who doesn't want that? We are promised blessing if we keep our covenants and in this crazy world we are all in need of those blessings to  protect and strengthen ourselves and families.

(To follow FV Relief Society on Pinterst, go here 

Thoughts on the March Theme

Here are Michelle Greenwood's thoughts on our March Relief Society Theme:

A Valiant woman is A COVENANT KEEPER

We live in a fallen world, which means we will all experience hardships and trials. The only question is, will we go through the hard times alone or with the Savior by our side? The answer is up to each of us. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have each made a covenant to always remember the Savior and to keep His commandments. In turn, He promises to always be with us. There is no question as to whether or not He will keep His covenant, He has already made His choice.

In the Garden of Gethsemene, our Savior experienced every pain, every heartache, and every sorrow for every sin we would ever experience. He knows exactly how we feel and how to help us endure. And when necessary, He is even strong enough to carry us when the load seems too much for us to bear. What each of us has to decide is whether or not we are going to accept His help. We make this choice when we choose to keep our covenants with Him. Every time we make and keep a covenant, we draw closer to the Lord. When we break our covenants we distance ourselves from Him.

It is because He loves us that the Lord gives us opportunities to make covenants with Him. We show our love for Him when we accept those covenants and choose of our own will to keep them. He is always by our side with outstretched arms and when we keep our covenants with Him, we can feel His warm embrace.

Favorite Pins from February

Kiersten Militoni was our featured pinner in February.  Here are some of her favorite pins.

Find it here

I love this take on a gratitude journal. It gives a few small things to try to feel more joy in our lives. Meditating  is my favorite and has been a huge release of stress for me and helps ground me during the day.  I also love that there is one for serving others!

Find it here

I love love love this!!! I know in my life i can get consumed by things that don't make me happy sometimes, social media or people who don't make me feel great. I have found that by discarding the things that don't bring joy into my life it has helped me focus on the things that DO bring joy. Now this doesn't mean i don't do hard things, it just means when there is an option to cut something out and that thing doesn't make you a happier and better person that it is OKAY to discard it : )

(To follow FV Relief Society, go here ----> https://www.pinterest.com/fuquayvarinars/ )